Music Blog, Musing

A House Is Not A Home

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for Thursday Inspiration #291 –
“Heartache Tonight”. Here’s my 2¢ worth.

For this week’s Thursday Inspiration prompt, Jim Adams asks us to respond to the challenge by using the prompt word ‘home’, referring to the song “Heartache Tonight” by the Eagles or any other Eagles song, by using the photo shown above or by anything else we feel fits. Jim’s prompt took me to this hauntingly beautiful song.

In 1964, composer Burt Bachrach and lyricist Hal David wrote a song called “A House Is Not A Home” for the movie of the same name starring Shelly Winters and Robert Tayler. The song conveys the idea that a house is just a physical structure, while a home is built on love, memories, and the presence of loved ones. The song explores themes of loneliness, heartbreak, and the longing for connection, highlighting how a space can feel empty and desolate without emotional bonds. 

While the song was originally written for Dionne Warwick to sing (and she did a wonderful job), I decided to go with the Dusty Springfield/Burt Bacharach version instead.

This is “A House Is Not A Home” by Dusty Springfield and Burt Bacharach


LYRICS

A chair is still a chair
Even though there’s no-one sitting there
But a chair is not a house
And a house is not a home
When there’s no-one there to hold you tight
And no-one there you can kiss goodnight

A room is still a room
Even though there’s nothing there but gloom
But a room is not a house
And a house is not a home
When the two of us are far apart
And one of us has a broken heart

Now and then I call your name
And suddenly your voice appears
But it’s just a crazy game
When it ends, it ends in tears

Darling, have a heart
Don’t let one mistake keep us apart
I’m not meant to live alone
Turn this house into a home
When I climb the stairs
And turn the key
Oh, please be there
Still in love with me


A chair is still a chair
Even though there’s no-one sitting there
But a chair is not a house
And a house is not a home
When there’s no-one there to hold you tight
And no-one there you can kiss goodnight

A room is still a room
Even though there’s nothing there but gloom
But a room is not a house
And a house is not a home
When the two of us are far apart
And one of us has a broken heart

Now and then I call your name
And suddenly your voice appears
But it’s just a crazy game
When it ends, it ends in tears

Darling, have a heart
Don’t let one mistake keep us apart
I’m not meant to live alone
Turn this house into a home
When I climb the stairs
And turn the key
Oh, please be there
Still in love with me

Songwriter(s): Burt Bacharach/Hal David

Thursday Inspiration #291 Heartache Tonight

Many thanks Jim Adams for this inspiration. Thanks to you all for stopping by for a look and a listen.

That’s all she wrote, kids. See you on the flip side. 😎

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25 thoughts on “A House Is Not A Home”

  1. My two eldest sisters went to school with Dusty …in fact my eldest sister was in the same class when she was Mary O’Brien and had red hair and freckles.

    She was a wonderful person and so talented. You picked a winner there 💜💜💜

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  9. I love Dusty’s distinctive voice, and she sings this song perfectly, Nancy … Meanwhile, down here in Aussieland, where Australia is an Island Continent, Christine Anu’s hit song “Island Home” is perfect …

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